Lifetime Changes
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: There are big changes for the Spier and Stevenson's families when Mary Anne's father and Abby's mother are engaged to be wed.
1. Proposal

"Mary Anne?" My dad asks. I look up at him.

"Yes dad?" I ask him.

"I want to talk to you. You know how I've been seeing Abby and Anna Stevenson's mother lately." He starts to say.

"Yes, I knew you had been." I reply. He glares at me. My dad doesn't like to be interrupted. "I'm sorry."

"Tomorrow night, I would like it if you would accompany me to the restaurant where I will be meeting Rachel." He says, ignoring my apology.

"Dad, why do you want me to come with you?" I ask.

"Mary Anne, can you be ready to go tomorrow night at 6:30?" He asks me. I think about it in my head.

"Well dad, tomorrow is a club meeting day, but since the meetings get out at 6, I can be ready. I will get dressed before I leave for the meeting." I reply.

"Thank you Mary Anne." He responds. Then he looks at me. "You know that I love you right? I am just trying to do what's best for you."

"Yes dad, I know that you have my best interest at heart. I love you." I say hugging him. He smiles.

_The next day… _

I walk into the restaurant with my dad. I am wearing a sky blue dress and my long flowing brown hair is down. When we get to the table, my dad pulls my chair out for me. There is a bottle of champagne sitting in a bucket of ice on the table.

"Champagne, dad?" I ask. He looks at me. Just then, Abby and Anna Stevenson walk over to the table. "Hi Abby, hi Anna."

"Hi Mary Anne. Mr. Spier." Abby says walking over to me.

"Hello." Anna says shyly sitting down at the table.

"What are we all doing here dad?" I ask him. He glares at me. I'm not supposed to ask questions, I'm supposed to follow what I'm told.

"When you're supposed to know you'll know Mary Anne." He replies. I fold my hands in my lap and look down at them. Just then Mrs. Stevenson walks over to the table.

"Oh Richard!" She exclaims softly. He smiles and walks over to pull her chair out for her. Mrs. Stevenson looks at Abby and Anna.

"What are you two doing here? I thought you were having dinner with friends." Mrs. Stevenson says looking at them.

"Technically we didn't lie; we are having dinner with Mary Anne. She's a friend." Abby replies.

"Abigail, you know that's not the kind of answer your father would like to hear from you." Mrs. Stevenson states sternly, and then she looks at dad. "But then again, I can't blame you if Richard was part of all this." She says with a smile. Dad walks over to her and pulls out her chair.

"I'm sorry Rachel, I was the one who asked Abby and Anna to come and be a part of this tonight." He replies. Mrs. Stevenson sits down.

"Be a part of what?" Mrs. Stevenson asks curiously.

"Of this." Dad replies. He sits down next to Mrs. Stevenson and across the table from me. "Rachel Stevenson, will you marry me?" Dad asks her handing her a small opened box with a shiny, gold engagement ring in the box. I look up and realize that Abby is smiling at me. I smile back. I don't believe it! I'm going to have a mother, and two sisters. That is if Mrs. Stevenson, excuse me, Rachel, since she will be my stepmother. If Rachel will accept dad's proposal, then I will have a mother and sisters.

"Oh Richard, it's beautiful." Rachel takes the box from dad. "Of course I'll marry you." Dad walks over and they hug and kiss. Abby runs over to me and hugs me.

"We're going to be sisters Mary Anne! Real live sisters! You're going to have me and Anna. You won't ever be alone again!" Abby exclaims. Anna, who is real quiet like me walks over and hugs me.

"Hi Mary Anne. Abby's right, you won't be just you and you're dad anymore. It'll be all of us." Anna states.

"Oh, it'll be so exciting!" Abby hollers. Rachel laughs.

"Abby please. Don't get so excited." She says.

"Okay." Abby replies. She looks at me again. "Sisters!" Abby and Anna squeeze my hands. I am very excited to have a new addition to my family. I am gaining a mother and two sisters.


	2. Mary Anne Finds Out

The morning after Dad asked Rachel to marry him I was walking down the stairs for school.

"Dad?" I ask when I get into the kitchen where he's having his morning cup of coffee while reading the newspaper.

"Mary Anne?" He asks looking at me. I cough and then walk over and sit at the table next to him.

"I've been thinking about something, ever since you asked Mrs. Stevenson to marry you last night." I say politely.

"What's the problem Mary Anne? What are you thinking about?" He questions putting the paper down and looking at me.

"Are Rachel, Abby and Anna going to move in here with us? I mean since we are the family who's been here longer it just makes sense to me." I say. Dad looks at me.

"Mary Anne, come here." Dad replies gently. I stand up and walk over to him. "Honey, we are going to be moving into the Stevenson's house." My face drops. "It's bigger over there. They're already set up and everything. It wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to move all our stuff over there because you know they have the living room they use, and then the other room that they have empty. Plus we can put our table in their kitchen, and have the table in the dining room."

"What about school? And the Baby Sitters Club?" I question.

"Mary Anne." My father says in a scolding tone. I look down at my feet. "How does Abby get to the Baby Sitters Club meetings now?"

"She gets a ride with Kristy." I reply softly. I look up and get a huge grin on my face. "Kristy! I'll live in the same neighborhood with Kristy again! And Shannon!" I exclaim.

"Don't get too excited. Now run upstairs and get ready for school." Dad says. I run up the stairs.


	3. BSC Meeting

"This meeting of the Baby Sitters Club will now come to order." Kristy says as the clock turns to 5:30. All 10 members of the Baby Sitters Club are sitting in Claudia's bedroom. Kristy is sitting in Claudia's director's chair. Logan, Jessi, Mallory, and I are on the floor. Abby, Claudia, Dawn, and Shannon are sitting on Claudia's bed, and Stacey is sitting in Claudia's desk chair. "Any new business?" Kristy asks. The phone rings. "Hello, Baby Sitters Club." Jessi says as she picks up the phone. "Hi Mrs. Newton. 3:30-5:30? Let me see and then I will call you back." Jessi hangs up the phone. "Mary Anne? Who can babysit for the Newton kids on Monday from 3:30 until 5:30?" She asks me.

"3:30 until 5:30? What about the club meeting?" Stacey asks. We all look at Kristy.

"This one time I will allow somebody to be late, I guess, since it is a sitting job." Kristy replies with a sigh. She doesn't like it when any of us are late to club meetings.

"Well who's free Mary Anne?" Logan asks me looking over my shoulder at the record book.

"Kristy, you may not have to worry about it. None of us are free. You have a sitting job for your brothers and sisters, Claudia has an art class, I have a sitting job for Jackie Rodowsky, Stacey is sitting for Charlotte Johanssen, Dawn is going back to California and won't be here, Mallory has an orthodontist appointment, Jessi has a dance class, and Abby has soccer practice after school." I state.

"Oh well; Shannon, Logan. Which one of you would like to sit for Jamie and Lucy?" Kristy asks with a surprised look on her face.

"You can take it Logan. I don't want somebody to have to come get me and bring me home when you can ride your bike or walk over there." Shannon says.

"Thanks Shannon. I haven't sat for the Newton's in a long time." Logan replies.

"Okay, I don't mind having Shannon and Logan here. I actually think that it's easier, but my question is Mary Anne; why are they here?" Kristy asks looking at me. I look up at Abby.

"Well I wanted Logan to be here to hear my good news." I reply.

"And I wanted Shannon to be here for me." Abby says.

"Oh, the news is both of you?" Claudia asks.

"Oh! I think I know what it is!" Mallory exclaims.

"Let Mary Anne tell it Mal." Jessi says. Mal glares at Jessi.

"As you all know my father and Abby's mother have been dating for a few months and finally my dad asked Rachel to marry him." I start to say.

"And she said yes!" Abby exclaims.

"They're getting married!" Mal hollers. She jumps up and hugs me and Abby. Then Logan hugs me.

"Congratulations. You are finally going to have a mother." Logan says with a smile.

"I know. I'm really excited to have a real family." I reply. Kristy walks over to me.

"We'll be neighbors again." Kristy says elbowing me in the side.

"Oh yeah, I'll live 2 doors down from you." I respond.

"Congratulations guys! This is great!" Dawn exclaims hugging me. The phone rings again. This time Shannon answers the phone.

"Hello, Baby Sitters Club." Then she pauses for a minute. "Yes, we should be able to find you a sitter. Give us just a moment and we'll call you back." She hangs up the phone and sits back down on the bed. "Mary Anne, Mrs. Arnold wants somebody to watch Marilyn and Carolyn on Saturday from 9 until 4." I look in the record book.

"The people who are free to babysit that day are Kristy, Abby, and Claudia." I state.

"I think that we all know who the job is going to." Kristy states. Abby nods.

"No, who?" Claudia asks.

"You!" Kristy and Abby exclaim together in unison and then laugh.

"Oh, well I didn't realize that." Claudia states.

"Come on Claud." Stacey says hugging Claudia. Shannon slides off the bed to call Mrs. Arnold back and tell her that Claudia would be babysitting.

"Dawn, how are things with your mom and Trip?" I ask.

"She is still madly in love with him and they are still married. I don't know much about the situation. I am staying with my grandparents. I can't take any more time with the Trip-Man than possible."

"Dawn, that's your mom." Stacey says. "You can't just leave her because she married somebody you don't like." Dawn glares at Stacey.

"You can't really talk can you Stace? When was the last time you went to go see your dad in New York?" Dawn questions. Stacey looks like she's been slapped in the face.

"Alright you two; knock it off. We are supposed to be professionals here." Kristy says. She looks at me and Claudia. "Can you guys do something about them?"

"Come on Dawn, we can go to my house after the meeting. My dad was talking about how we would have to have you for dinner. He made vegetarian lasagna for you." I say to her.

"Stace I need your help with an outfit for the dance next week. Can you help before you leave tonight?" Claudia asks. Just then the phone rings again.

"Baby Sitters Club." I say as I answer the phone. "Hello Dr. Johanssen, tomorrow? 3-4:30? That should not be a problem. Let me look and I'll call you back." I hang up the phone and start looking through the record book. "Alright Mal, Stacey and Abby are free tomorrow. Who wants the job?"

"I am doing some stuff with mom and Anna tomorrow to get ready for the wedding. I can't take it." Abby states.

"You take it Stacey; I know how much you like Charlotte Johanssen." Mal says. Stacey beams and then walks over to the phone to call Dr. Johanssen. As usual, at 6 o'clock our official meeting is over and we all start heading out. Shannon, Abby and Kristy first because they are waiting for Kristy's brother Charlie to come take them home. Soon I will also be waiting for Charlie instead of walking back across the street to my house on Bradford Court. I am sad because I've lived in that house all of my life and because Myriah Perkins and I have a secret with my window and hers; but I'm excited because I will have a real family. Logan has to leave because he's got to ride his bike practically all the way across town. I walk out the door with Logan.

"I am sorry about all the trouble between Dawn and Stacey. Boy am I glad that I don't have to attend meetings three times a week." Logan says. I smile at him.

"Thanks a lot!" I say as I jokingly smack his arm. Dawn had come out with us because she was going to walk home with me. I had already said good bye to Stacey and Claudia upstairs in her bedroom. As Logan rides off on his bike, I help Dawn pull her bike up off the ground and we walk across the street to my house.


	4. Wedding Day

**A/N: Whoa, I haven't updated since 2010. I hope these next few chapters are worth waiting for=)**

**Several weeks later**

Anna and I were jittery the morning of the wedding; not because they were unhappy but because of the excitement.

"Can you believe it?" Abby asked bounding into the room. Both girls nodded. I knew she would get along with Abby and Anna because Abby and I were already friends and Anna was so much like me that we would be great. Rachel walked into the room with her garment bag.

"Hello girls. She smiled at me. "You look beautiful Mary Anne." I blushed.

"Thanks. I wanted to look nice for the wedding. I am my father's only daughter." Rachel nodded. She looked at Abby and Anna.

"Would you two please give me a moment with Mary Anne?" The girls looked at each other and then back at their mom.

"Sure mom." Abby replied and they walked out of the room. Rachel pulled a chair up next to hers and gestured for me to sit down. We sat down at the same time.

"Mary Anne, I know your mother died when you were very young." I sat back in the chair, unable to say anything. Why was she talking about my mom? "I'm not your mom and I could never take her place. I just wanted you to know that you can come to me with anything." I nodded.

"Thank you and I will. I talk to dad about everything, but there are some things I can't talk to him about." Rachel nodded.

"It'll be an honor to be your stepmother." Rachel squeezed my hand and we both smiled.

"Thank you Rachel." I said. "I'm glad that of all the women in the world that dad could have chosen, he chose you." Rachel hugged me.

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Abby and Anna were walking around in the hallway when Richard walked over.

"You girls look beautiful." Anna blushed.

"Thanks Richard." Abby replied. He was quiet for a minute. "Can we talk?" He asked and Abby nodded.

"I know your father passed away when you were little. Mary Anne's mother died when she was a baby, so I understand. You can call me Richard. I never expect you to call me dad like Mary Anne does." Abby nodded.

"Thank you." Richard looked at his watch.

"It's almost time." He said. "I better go get ready." He walked towards the sanctuary while Abby and Anna walked back towards the bride's room.

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The room was filled with guests as I walked down the aisle. I spotted a few of the Baby Sitter's Club members and smiled. The girls from the club came for me and Abby. I heard Abby chuckle softly behind me when she walked past Kristy, but I couldn't look back to see what was going on. When we got to the front of the church, we turned around and waited for Rachel to emerge. The organist played the music and all our eyes were focused on the door as the guests stood and she walked in. The beautiful, crème colored floor length gown made her seem like a dream. The ceremony passed so quickly. I remembered Rachel walking in, but it felt like no time had passed at all because I heard my dad say, "I do." I smiled. I knew for the last thirteen years that my dad was a single father and he was able to raise me all alone, but I was happy to see him happier than I'd see him in a long time. When the minister said, "You may not kiss the bride," I felt a hand squeeze mine from behind. I turned enough to see Abby standing there smiling as well.

"We're step sisters!" She mouthed. Then, Anna, Abby and I followed the couple out of the sanctuary as the music played.

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There was a BSC table at the reception. Kristy, Stacey, Claudia and Mallory were there.

"Jessi wants you to know she's sorry she wasn't here Mary Anne." Mallory said and I smiled.

"It's alright Mal." I replied. The three of us walked over to our parents' table.

"Do you girls want to sit with us?" Rachel asked. We looked at each other.

"No, you stay together. Maybe we'll sit at the table with the girls." Richard nodded as Abby spoke.

"Okay." He smiled. Abby looked at the front of the room.

"Oh, I have an idea."

"What?" I asked looking at my stepsister.

"What is it Abby?" Anna asked. Abby looked at them.

"We should toast the newlyweds." Abby's wide smile made me smile.

"No Abby." Anna shook her head.

"What? It's mom." She said. "She'd get a kick out of it." Abby turned to face me. "You up for it?" I swallowed hard.

"Sure." Abby grabbed my hand and we rushed to the front of the room. Abby and I laughed. Abby picked up the microphone.

"Hey everybody. I'm Abby and it's my mom who got married today. I just wanted to tell her that I love her and am glad she found Richard." She smiled. "We moved here to get away from the painful memories on Long Island and now we get to make some really great ones here in Stoneybrook." Rachel smiled and Abby handed the microphone to me. I sighed because I wasn't sure what to say at first. Finally, the words came to me and I put the microphone up to my mouth.

"Dad," I started, "for the last ten years, I've watched you single handedly take care of me and our house. You are always there for me and I love you. I'm glad you are happy even though you always said that you were happy just being with me." I paused. "I know you love me and you loved my mother; but I'm glad to add Rachel, Abby and Anna to our family. I'm growing up, but I'll always be your little girl.

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Abby, Anna, Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, Jessi, Mallory, Shannon and I walked into the house later that night. They walked all around the house and saw our moving boxes everywhere.

"Wow." Claudia said. "You're really leaving the neighborhood." I nodded. I didn't really have a chance to cry before Kristy grabbed a hold of me and hugged me.

"We'll be two doors down from each other! Kristy smiled.

"We're having a welcome to the neighborhood part." Shannon said. I looked at her and smiled.

"We?" I looked around.

"Kristy, Shannon, Anna, you and me." Abby said from behind me.

"Well, we got pizza for dinner already, what else are we doing?" Mallory asked positively. Claudia pulled out the bag on her shoulder.

"I have snack foods."

"Let's go up to your room." Kristy said. "Have you cleared it out?"

"Everything but the bed." I replied. We bounded up the stairs for the last night in my childhood home. Everything I've ever known is in this house and now it's going to a new family.


	5. New School?

"There are nine bedrooms in the house, so there are six rooms to choose from Mary Anne." Rachel said sweetly. I smiled.

"I've known which room I wanted since dad asked you to marry him." Rachel and I laughed.

"Alright." She replied. There was Abby's bedroom and then a spare room next to that, so I slid into the bedroom two doors down from Abby, right across the hall from Anna. After I finished unpacking, Abby walked into my bedroom.

"I'm glad to have you here." Abby said. "When we moved here mom hired a decorator, but there is a living room in the back of the house that we never had anything in, but now it's your furniture." Abby smiled. "I'm glad." She looked around. "This is a great room." Abby looked out the window. I sat in the window and noticed that I could see part of Kristy's house from here. Abby touched my shoulder.

"I know it's hard to leave your childhood home." Abby stated. "When we left Long Island I had to leave all the memories of my dad." I looked at her.

"I'm sorry Abby." She shrugged.

"It's over, I'll always remember my dad."

"Girls, Richard and I need to talk to you." Rachel poked her head into the bedroom.

"We're coming mom." Abby and I followed her downstairs and saw dad sitting on the couch with Anna. Abby and I sat on the furniture when Rachel went to the front of the stairs and dad stood up. They stood right in front of the three of us.

"Girls, you know school is starting soon." We nodded. Where was this going? "Well, we've been talking and decided to send you to Stoneybrook Day School." Dad smiled. We always thought education was important.

"We won't be at Stoneybrook Middle School?" Abby asked and Rachel shook her head.

"You'll be at the private school here." She smiled. "I know you'll love it. We've been to see it and Shannon goes there." Abby nodded.

"She does, but she's busy all the time. We liked Stoneybrook Middle School."

"What about the orchestra?" Anna asked quietly. Rachel looked between the three of us girls.

"I'm sorry; I thought you would like a new opportunity." Rachel said.

"We'll go mom." Abby spoke quickly. Rachel smiled. She opened the closet and pulled out three hangers.

"Here are your uniforms." Abby, Anna and I exchanged glances before we took the vest and uniforms from Rachel. I couldn't believe it; in the nine years I've been in school I'd never had to wear a uniform before. I'm not sure why I had to wear one now.

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**The next week**

When I walked into the kitchen that morning, Abby and Anna were already eating breakfast.

"Where's your mom?" I asked.

"She already left for work."

"Good morning Mary Anne." My dad said as he walked down the stairs and kissed my cheek. "Abby, Anna." He nodded.

"Hi Richard." Abby replied. Anna put her cereal bowl in the sink.

"We're meeting Shannon. Hurry up Abby."

"I'm not hungry." I said to dad as Abby and Anna hurried out of the kitchen.

"You have to eat; it's the first day of school."

"I'll eat lunch at school." He sighed.

"Alright, go on." I walked out the door on my way to the first day at a new school.


End file.
